Monthly Archives: February 2014

Palestine, Bigfoot and other fairy tales

by Michael Freund

The Jerusalem Post February 25, 2014

What a welcome breath of fresh air: for the first time in recent memory, a Muslim scholar in Jordan has had the courage to speak out, demolishing the mythology and deceit that lie at the heart of the Palestinian narrative.

In a post on his Facebook page, Sheikh Ahmad Adwan unabashedly declared that Palestine is a fabrication, and that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people.

“I say to those who distort the Koran: from where did you bring the name Palestine, you liars, you accursed, when Allah has already named it ‘the Holy Land’ and bequeathed it to the Children of Israel until the Day of Judgment?” he wrote.

“There is no such thing as ‘Palestine’ in the Koran. Your demand for the Land of Israel is a falsehood and it constitutes an attack on the Koran, on the Jews and their land,” he said.

Citing verses in the Koran (such as Sura 26, verse 59), Adwan argues that according to the Muslim holy book, Israel was given as an inheritance to the Jewish people and not to anyone else.

While it would be naïve to think that Adwan’s pronouncements will bring about any significant change in how the Muslim world relates to Israel, it does offer a timely reminder of an important historical truth.

To put it simply: Palestine and the Palestinians are a modern invention, a fiction created with the aim of dismantling Israel and undermining its claim to its ancient patrimony.

The myth of Palestine is the diplomatic equivalent of Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and the Abominable Snowman. Although plenty of people may persist in believing in these fairy tales, that doesn’t make them true.

Indeed, prior to the 1947 UN partition plan, even Palestinian Arab leaders openly affirmed this to be the case.

Take, for example, Auni Bey Abdul-Hadi, who testified in 1937 before the Peel Commission, which was established by the British government to investigate the outbreak of Arab violence in British-ruled Palestine.

Abdul-Hadi told the commission that “there is no such country as Palestine! ‘Palestine’ is a term the Zionists invented! There is no Palestine in the Bible. Our country was for centuries part of Syria.”

A decade later, in May 1947, the representative of the Arab Higher Committee told the UN General Assembly much the same.

Palestinian nationalism only gained steam in subsequent decades, as the Arab states found it to be a useful proxy tool in their ongoing war against the Jewish state.

They cultivated a Palestinian national consciousness and identity in order to create a narrative of Arab victimhood and Israeli aggression which suited their political agenda.

Thanks to the Left and the media, the Palestinians’ claims to the Land of Israel became amplified and even accepted by a large number of people around the world, many if not most of whom do not know the first thing about the Middle East.

Sadly, even many Jews are no longer familiar with the historical record and have come to accept Palestinian assertions as true, even though there has never been a Palestinian state in all of history.

And yet, not that long ago, this was a widely recognized and accepted fact.

Consider remarks made by the late Golda Meir. In an interview with The Sunday Times on June 15, 1969, Meir said, “There were no such thing as Palestinians. When was there an independent Palestinian people with a Palestinian state?” Furthermore, she noted, “It was not as though there was a Palestinian people in Palestine considering itself as a Palestinian people and we came and threw them out and took their country away from them. They did not exist.”

To our ears, such assertions may sound jarring because they are so at odds with what has come to be accepted as the conventional wisdom. But that is merely because we have succumbed to decades of pro-Palestinian propaganda and indoctrination which have virtually drowned out dissenting voices.

Indeed, the mainstream media uniformly ignored Sheikh Adwan’s comments, failing to report them despite their newsworthiness. This should have been front-page news, if only because of its extraordinary nature.

After all, how often does a Muslim religious scholar come out with such pronouncements? Nonetheless, Adwan’s brave remarks provide an important opportunity for pro-Israel activists to right the historical record and begin to undercut decades of successful Palestinian propagandizing.

We must seize on this opening to remind people of what many have
forgotten: Palestine is an illusion with no basis in historical reality. It does not appear in the Torah, the Christian Bible or the Koran, or in the historical record.

The only place it does appear is in the imagination of those who wish Israel ill.

Share this:

Like this:

This is not all-encompassing or all-inclusive, but it does provide some Biblical basics
for tithing and giviing, much of which we have never been taught but has always been right there in the Word. It is a live recording, complete with all the background noise that comes with a live recording. So, turn up your speakers and give a listen. shalom –

Like this:

The following was posted today on Arutz Sheva News, Israel . . . please read to the end . . .

6. Kerry: Evictions of Jews May Not be Required by Elad Benari

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is trying to push Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to sign a peace agreement, is hinting that Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria may not be evicted from their homes when an agreement is signed.

In an interview with journalist Ilana Dayan on Channel 2, Kerry was asked what will be the personal price that residents of Judea and Samaria will have to pay for peace.

“I’m not at all certain they will have to leave their homes,” he replied.

The full interview will air Thursday evening on Dayan’s “Uvda” program, but excerpts from it were released on Wednesday.

The top U.S. diplomat dismissed the criticism, saying, “I’m doing my job. I think I’m committed and I’m determined, but I don’t think [I’m obsessive].”

Asked whether there is a chance that he will lose hope on securing peace between the sides, Kerry replied, “That’s not the way I operate. People who know me know that when I sink my teeth into something, I try to get it done.”

Kerry has remained optimistic about the talks throughout the process, stating in December that a deal was “close” despite ongoing complications and dispute over the terms from both the PA and Israel.

He has been trying to get both sides to agree to a framework agreement, of which little details have been revealed, though Thomas Friedman of the New York Times published some alleged details of the plan, which, he said, will call for a phased Israeli withdrawal from Judea and Samaria based on the 1949 lines, with “unprecedented” security arrangements in the strategic Jordan Valley.

The Israeli withdrawal will not include certain settlement blocs, but Israel will compensate the Arab side for this with Israeli territory.

Martin Indyk, the US Envoy to the Middle East, later revealed to American Jewish leaders that 75 to 80 percent of the Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria would remain in their homes even after a permanent agreement. The agreement will include a reference to the incitement against Israel in the Palestinian Authority (PA) and will also include a reference to compensation for Jewish refugees who came from Arab countries.

In addition, the PA would recognize Israel as a Jewish state, Israel would recognize the Palestinian state, and the two sides will announce the end of the conflict.

On Wednesday, Kerry met with Jordan’s foreign minister for talks on the peace process.

“We are at an important point in the negotiations where we are engaged with narrowing the gaps between the parties on a framework for negotiations,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki later said.

Several days ago, Secretary of State John Kerry issued a not-so-subtle indirect threat when he said that Israel could face an international boycott if its leaders refuse to give up part of the Holy Land in exchange for peace with the Palestinians.

Yuval Steinitz, Israel’s minister of strategic affairs, answered Kerry’s statement in no uncertain terms: “Israel cannot be expected to negotiate with a gun to its head.”

The Obama/Kerry tactics for brokering peace in the Middle East are misguided, inept, and downright dangerous. Please see my important update below on the United States’ increasingly adversarial posture toward Israel .

President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry both declare themselves to be friends of Israel. But as Israeli leaders point out, their actions often tell a different story.

According to the Washington Post, Secretary Kerry warned that Israel’s refusal to give up land for peace and the ultimate failure of peace talks would…

“…incite Israel’s critics, who are pushing for boycotts against Israeli products and institutions in a campaign to isolate and pressure the country to end its occupation of the West Bank…

“Israeli economic minister Naftali Bennett, the third-most-powerful figure in the coalition government, attacked Kerry for his linkage of peace and sanctions.

‘We expect our friends around the world to stand beside us, against anti-Semitic boycott efforts targeting Israel, and not to be their trumpet.’

The parliamentarian Tzipi Hotovely said, ‘Kerry’s unprecedented threats of a boycott are an attempt to terrorize Israel.’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that ‘attempts to impose a boycott on the State of Israel are immoral and unjust’ and would not succeed. Netanyahu warned that the boycott threats ‘cause the Palestinians to adhere to their intransigent positions and thus push peace further away.’”

John Kerry’s warning of “boycotts” demonstrates yet again how the Obama administration’s misguided Middle East policies are having an anti-Semitic ripple effect in the world community. Such ill-advised tactics give the impression that the U.S. no longer “has Israel’s back.”

This is a time to BOLDLY stand with Israel.

Share this:

Like this:

The following is a recent post by Michael Boldea, grandson of Dumitru Duduman. His posting echoes what we and many others have been sensing and sharing for sometime now. Pray for discernment and wisdom. Read the post entitled ‘The Lamp and the Light’ which speaks of both ‘wisdom and discernment, two qualities necessary in these days. shalom – J & R

It has been almost two weeks since it’s all I could do to keep from jumping out of my skin. Time in prayer seems to be the only thing that can alleviate the sense of foreboding I’ve been feeling, a disquiet that goes far beyond what the eye can see, or the skin can touch.

I can’t put my finger on it. I’ve prayed repeatedly for some discernment on the matter, some sort of elucidation or illumination, but all I’m getting is this sense of unease, this expectancy of something horrible beyond words around the corner.

The one thing I know is that it doesn’t have to do with me personally. It’s not something I’m feeling will happen to me, but something on a larger, more far reaching scale than one individual, or even one event.

Perhaps I’m the only one, but somehow I doubt it. If you’ve been feeling like this, if a sense of an impending something has been gnawing at you of late, let me know.

Like I said, the only thing that curbs the feeling is prayer. I’ve been doing a lot of it lately, and it has been good for me.

God is neither blind nor deaf. He sees, He hears, and He keeps immaculate records. If what I’ve been feeling is in fact the impending judgment of God, then it will be on such a scale as to stop the world in its tracks.

With love in Christ,Michael Boldea Jr.

Share this:

Like this:

This morning Rhonda was reading in Exodus concerning the building of the Tabernacle, the earthly example of the Throne Room and the earthly dwelling of the Presence of God . As she read and we discussed, we began to see a picture we would like to share concerning a portion of that process and perhaps some application to us today.22

God asked for the people’s involvement in building the Tabernacle by bringing contributions as their heart would prompt them for His work. They were all involved in one degree or another – both women and men – as God gave them anointing and wisdom. Just as Abba used all His children to build the first earthly expressionof His dwelling, we today are still being used by Him to build up His dwelling . . . once again He is endowing with anointing and power to do His building . . .

Joel 2:28 ‘ . . .and it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

“ . . .4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood ( order of Melchizedek ), to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ . . .” 1 Peter 2

“ . . .19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God bythe Spirit . . .” Ephesians 2

As we look at all that was made for the Tabernacle ( the Mishkan – the place of His Shekinah, His Presence ) the one item that stood out for us today is the Lampstand – the Menorah – and it’s connection not only to the beginning verses of The Revelation but also the parable of the 10 virgins. We will attempt here to share some insight into that connection.

The Menorah – the 7-light Lampstand – stood in the Holy Place giving Light to the enclosed area containing the Table of ShowBread and the Altar of Incense. A side note, the Showbread or ‘Bread of the Face’ is a picture of Redeemed Israel ( which includes every blood-bought believer ) in their sinless perfected condition( therefore ‘unleavened bread’ ) before the Face of our Father, illuminated by the Light which is Yeshua. (John 8:12)

Now, back to the Lampstand. Revelation speaks of 7 lampstands ( which represent 7 congregations, a full picture of the Bride, the fulfillment of His vow ) and the One Who walks in their midst, which again is the Bridegroom Yeshua. As we contemplated the Menorah and it’s embellishments ( for example the 5 embellishments on each branch – 3 cups, 1 knob and 1 bud- ‘5’ being the number of redemption ) it took our minds to a few other places – Psalms, Proverbs and Yeshua’s parable in Matthew 25 concerning the 10 virgins.

Yeshua, in Matthew 25, compares the coming of the Kingdom to ten virgins who take their lamps and go out to meet the Bridegroom. The word ‘virgin’ is a word that translates ‘ marriageable maiden ; any person ( male or female ) that has abstained from all uncleanness and has kept their respective chastity, and can be applied both physically and spiritually.

So these Ten go out with their ‘lamps’ to meet the Bridegroom. Five of the ‘virgins’ are described as being wise while the other five are described as foolish. From a Scriptural basis, what is ‘wise’ and what is ‘foolish’ ? Psalm 111:10 tells us “The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom . . .” The same is stated in Proverbs 9:10 along with “. . . and knowledge of the Holy One is discernment . . .”. The Prophet Micah advises “ it is sound wisdom to fear the Lord . . .” ( 6:9 ) The same is echoed in the Apostolic Writings. Paul prays for the congregation at Ephesus that ‘the GOD of our Lord Messiah Yeshua, the FATHER OF GLORY, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of discernment in the knowledge of Him. ( 1:17 )

So we can understand that the wise virgins had a holy fear of God which leads to discernment which comes from knowing His ways. They, the ‘Wise 5’, also took oil for their lamps. In contrast, ‘foolish’ by Scriptural definition is ‘Godless’. “ The fool has said in his heart ‘There is no God’ . . .” ( Psalm 14:1, 53:1 ) “ For the fool speaks folly, his mind is busy with evil: He practices ungodliness and spreads error concerning the LORD; . . .” Isaiah 32:6 They are the ones that Yeshua spoke of in Mark 7 . . . “ You worship Me with your lips but your hearts are far from me . . .”

So we can understand the ‘Foolish 5’ have all the right words but it is all head-knowledge, without relationship and fear of the Lord. And by the way, they brought lamps without any oil.

Psalm 119:105 “Thy Word is alampunto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Let’s take a look at these two words for a moment. How much good is a lamp without a lightbulb ? You can have a very nice lamp, but without the light bulb it is absolutely worthless. We must also remember to whom Yeshua was speaking. He was not speaking to a bunch of unsaved western 20th century rednecks ( I can say that, I am a redneck ) although it can and must be applied to us today. He WAS speaking to 1st century Sabbath-keeping middle-easterners with an understanding of God’s ways.

So here is the picture. Ten people ( a minion – the minimum number necessary to act on behalf of or represent the whole ) come out to meet the Bridegroom. They ALL have brought their lamps – the Word of God, the Torah, Psalms, Proverbs and the Prophets.

The ‘Wise 5’ – the ones with a fear and discernment of the Lord and His ways – brought OIL in flasks. The ‘OIL’ is what, when ignited, brings ‘Light’ . The OIL is a combination of the drawing power of the Holy Spirit through conviction unto Salvation – Yeshua – bringing LIGHT to those 5. “For in Him is life, and that life is the Light of men . . .” John 1:4

What about the ‘Foolish 5’ ? They have their Lamps but have no OIL. They have not combined the Truth with faith which leaves them in the dark without the Light of the World. “ . . . for we also are having good news proclaimed, even as they, but the word heard did not profit them, for it was not combined with faith in those who heard . . .“Hebrews 4:2

So what do we have ? Ephesians 2 tells we are ‘saved by grace through faith . . . unto good works’, not by good works. Yet these ‘good works that were prepared from beforehand that we would walk in them’ that many walk in even before they come to Salvation are to be the indicator of to Whom we belong. The purpose of Torah is to show us our sin and our need for Messiah – the lamp and the Light – both are to work together ‘hand in glove’. Once we accept Messiah Yeshua we are not to discard the very practices and observances that pointed us to Him. We are to ‘walk in them’ in freedom and liberty – the outward signs of the inward change – as not only His servants but fellow heirs with the saints.

Is this a picture of ‘lost’ contrasted with ‘saved’ ? Sure it is . . . but it is more. Just as a foundation without something built upon it is worthless, a House without it’s proper foundation is unstable. There is an inexorable connection between the written Word which is ‘living and sharper than a two-edged sword’ and Yeshua Who is the Living Word.

Are we saying Torah and the keeping of commandments are necessary for our Salvation ? NO . . . What we ARE saying is Torah observance and obedience to God’s commandments are the Scriptural evidence of our Salvation and our Love for our Heavenly Father, and we can only come to Our Father through the Son.

(Exodus 31:13 “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, “Above all you shall keep My Sabbaths for this (* the keeping ) is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you.

1 John 5:3 This is what the love of God is: keeping his commandments. Nor are his commandments burdensome,

1 John 2:4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ( * amplification added )

And by the way, there are not two sets of commandments – God’s and Yeshua’s.

We are saved by grace through faith. He – Yeshua – is the Chief Corner on which our House is founded. But without the remainder of the foundation – The Torah – the House is skewed. The House is established on the Chief Corner but without the rest of the foundation the House will be just a little cock-eyed.

Torah without Yeshua is a dead-end that culminates in separation from Abba for eternity.

Yeshua without Torah is Salvation, but salvation is not the end. It is just the beginning. To quote and old friend, ‘if it is the end, it is the front end’. Once we enter the Kingdom through the Door – Yeshua – there is a way to walk that has purpose – our Father’s purpose. Once we come to Faith through Yeshua, we are no longer ‘lost’, but we can still be a bit bewildered without the Torah for it is our map, and without it we do not have the proper direction.

He – Yeshua – is the Living Word, the Way, Truth and Life. Yeshua is the door into the Kingdom. There is something about the commandments of God that establish ‘standing’ within the Kingdom ( Matt. 5:17-19 ). We want both. God is Spirit, and we must be willing, especially in these days, to worship and serve Him in both Spirit and Truth.

Share this:

Like this:

This is a dream I received about 5 years ago. I was standing looking at rolling hills with green grass and green, leafy trees. It was extremely vivid and real, as if I was actually there. I sensed the trees were not in full foliage, perhaps in the spring of the year, but not for sure. I remember trying to figure out my location, “ where am I, where is this’, trying to get my bearings. And then I heard the words ‘Great snow storm’, and the dream ended.

This year, every time we received winter weather or snow, this dream comes to mind in ways it has not in the years since I received it. I feel it is time to share this. We are not setting dates or times but feel impressed to share this dream at this time. – Rhonda

Below is a link we were sent, posted on TruNews, (or go to www.trunews.com ) which is an interview with a scientist and former astronaut discussing the solar cycles and how they impact our weather with heating and cooling cycles.

We know from Scripture Abba is very ordered and works in patterns. There are patterns in all of creation, patterns that HE has put into place for His purposes.

After listening to the posted interview, for those interested, go to YouTube and look up postings for a structure and concept known as ‘Walipini’ . . .

Topic : John L. Casey, president of the Space and Science Research corporation, is back in segment one. The former White House space program advisor and NASA scientist discusses the begining manifestations of what he and other top scientists are predicting to be a period of severe cooling on the earth brought about by a cyclical occurrence of “solar hibernation.” Later in program, John Rubino, co-author of the new book, “The Money Bubble,” discusses current trends in economics and explains why a global financial meltdown in inevitable.

Share this:

Like this:

The following needs to be prayed over and pondered. It makes us want to catch our breath . . .

News

Report: Netanyahu Willing to Concede 90% of Judea, Samaria

Maayana Miskin

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has offered to give the Palestinian Authority full control over 90% of Judea and Samaria, Walla! news reports. The report is based on testimony from sources close to the secret Israel-PA talks.

Netanyahu’s reported offer still falls short of the PA’s demand to receive at least 97% of territory in the region.

Netanyahu is apparently seeking to minimize the need to expel Israeli citizens from their homes in Judea and Samaria. The region is home to roughly 360,000 Israeli Jews, but most are concentrated in around 2% of the area’s actual landmass.

His latest offer would mean expelling 20-30% of them – or between 72,000 and 108,000 people. That seems like a fairly tall order, given that the government is still struggling to rehouse the roughly 10,000 Israelis expelled from Gaza and northern Samaria, nearly a decade after the 2005 “Disengagement”.

Israel would keep the major “settlement bloc” areas with a majority-Israeli population, including the Ariel bloc, Gush Etzion, Maaleh Adumim, and the towns of Beit El and Karnei Shomron along with surrounding communities.

Netanyahu’s reported offer also calls for Israeli communities adjacent to the 1949 armistice line, but outside “settlement blocs,” to remain under Israeli control, and for an Israeli presence to continue in the city of Hevron.

This Post is courtesy of ‘The Extinction Protocol’. Slovenia is part of the EU, many members of which have been hit with severe weather . . .

February 5, 2014 – SLOVENIA – A quarter of households in Slovenia were left without electricity on Monday after a weekend of blizzards and very low temperatures wreaked havoc on power lines and roads, the national STA news agency reported. Leading daily newspaper Delo described it as the worst devastation in living memory. More than 40 percent of schools were closed and only about a third of those were due to reopen on Tuesday, STA said. It said the power cuts had affected more than 250,000 people, or one in four families, in the country. This prompted the government to ask for help from the European Union’s civil defense team in the form of power generators for the affected areas, the government said on its website. STA said generators were being urgently dispatched from Austria, Czech Republic and Germany. Farming Minister Dejan Zidan said ice and snow had damaged 500,000 hectares of forest, or roughly a half of Slovenia’s total forest area. –Reuters